Sunday, January 14, 2007

With the weather mizzy outside, it’s time to warm up with a nice, hot cup of Lazy Sunday:Paul Hoynes answers his mailbag, addressing the usual questions. The answer to the question regarding the bullpen contracts is very amusing as Hoynes completely shoots down the questioner; essentially pointing out that the question is misinformed and illogical.

You have to wonder what happens when the person who writes these questions in reads the answers to their questions. In this case, Mike Shepka must have opened his paper in Macedonia this morning, felt elation as he saw that his question had been chosen to appear in the paper, then slowly have anger and embarrassment creep in as he realized that Hoynes had just put him in the corner. The rest of his Sunday must be filled with phone calls from ridiculing friends and dread in facing the guys at work on Monday.

The lesson that few people ever learn (just listen to sports-talk radio) is that, while the “experts” generally have little expertise, they usually know more than you.But opinions are like…ah, forget it.

"It's going to be tough, not just for me, but for Jake and [Hafner], too," said Sabathia. "The people around here are going to have some tough decisions to make in the next two years."

Sabathia continued that he “wants to be where he’s comfortable” and wants to “play for a winner”, but the Mylanta that was chugged after reading the aforementioned quote was more calming to the stomach than those clichés.

Ken Rosenthal revisits the Franklin Gutierrez to the Marlins rumor. The Marlins have quite a bit of pitching depth and the Indians could find another arm for the bullpen from the Fish. They do have a few LHP (Renyel Pinto is one example, or maybe Taylor Tankersley – whose name, frankly, sounds a little made up) who could join Fultz to give the Tribe 2 LHP in the bullpen, which was Shapiro’s stated desire entering the off-season.

Of course, what’s to say that Gutierrez couldn’t fill the Michaels role of a RH bat in LF any better than Michaels himself? Nothing, but Gutierrez (a natural CF) is more valuable to a team in need of a CF than he is the Indians. With LF tied into Delluchaels and RF being offered to the BLC on the big league level, and Crowe and Barton looking more promising than Gutierrez (and Snyder), perhaps the Indians can “sell high” like they did with another CF playing out of position in Cleveland.What was that guy’s name again?Has he been run out of Boston yet?

While the 40-man (and probably the 25-man) roster is essentially set, the Indians will likely make some tweaks regarding the last 2 or 3 spots (last reliever, middle IF, 4th/5th OF) before leaving Winter Haven.

They have to be loading up the equipment trucks soon, right?I need something to get me through this inevitable season in Cleveland that gives more attention to the NFL Draft than the NFL Playoffs.Must be January in Cleveland.